The Austrians at BauMax, which yesterday opened their 14th store on the Romanian market, have come to compete with Bricostore for the third position on the DIY market after five years, with BauMax continuing to invest even in times of crisis, opening six stores in the last 12 months.

Nicola Szekely, country manager of BauMax on the Romanian and Bulgarian markets, says the company he heads saw its sales up 24% last year, to 138 million euros, while the French at Bricostore announced a 17% sales decline, to around 140 million euros. The biggest players on this market are Dedeman and Praktiker, according to existing information.

"We plan to make a 200 million-euro turnover this year. With an average of 13-14 million euros in sales per store, we can reach this level. In addition, we think the market will experience a slight organic growth in the second half of the year," said Szekely.

BauMax yesterday finalised an around 15 million-euro investment in a 14,000 square-metre store on Şoseaua Chitilei, around one kilometre away from Colosseum retail park currently under construction, where the French-held Leroy Merlin is set to open its first DIY store in Romania this autumn.

The Austrians at BauMax, which yesterday opened their 14th store on the Romanian market, have come to compete with Bricostore for the third position on the DIY market after five years, with BauMax continuing to invest even in times of crisis, opening six stores in the last 12 months.

Nicola Szekely, country manager of BauMax on the Romanian and Bulgarian markets, says the company he heads saw its sales up 24% last year, to 138 million euros, while the French at Bricostore announced a 17% sales decline, to around 140 million euros. The biggest players on this market are Dedeman and Praktiker, according to existing information.

"We plan to make a 200 million-euro turnove